Life After Dirge
by PoysonKizz
Summary: Starting at the night before the battle of Dirge we follow Jen Zi through her life after the battle. What will happen now that she had deafted Sun Li and Princess Lian is now Empress of the Jade Empire. Jen ZiSky pairing.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Jade Empire, I am just borrowing it characters and story line to have a little fun with them.

Jen Zi woke up on the cold floor of the temple at Dirge; she shook her head as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. She looked down at her hands with fascination as she realized that she was truly alive again, a single tear rolled its way down her cheek. She turned back to the portal and kneeled down in front of it.

"Thank you mistress, I swear I will return life to you as you did to me." Jen Zi whispered with as much conviction as she could.

"I know you will Spirit Monk, now go you're companions are waiting for you." The ominous voice of the Water Dragon said to her.

With a new found fervor Jen Zi rose and dashed down the stairs, she stopped as she saw Kang's Marvelous Dragonfly land on the other side of the temple. She took off again heading towards the flyer, when she saw her friends she almost burst out into tears. Without another thought she ran straight to Dawn Star and threw her arms around her best friend.

"Jen Zi? You're alive! Praise the heavens you are alive!" Dawn Star then proceeded to cry, which also caused Jen Zi to finally let her tears fall.

She felt another pair of arms wrap around her shoulders, she turned and looked into the eyes of her other closest friend Silk Fox.

"I am so glad you're alive, I was afraid we would all be lost to my Uncle's madness. I was also afraid I would never see you again, you're the first true friend I have ever had and I did not want to lose that." Jen Zi smiled at Silk Fox through watery eyes and embraced her after Dawn Star had let her go.

She looked over Silk Fox's shoulder and searched for the one she wanted to see most of all, but could not find him. Her heart sank when she realized he must have been killed by her former master as well, for he was there when Sun Li had dealt her the killing blow. She pulled away from Silk Fox and steeled her nerves, pulling her shoulders back. She took a deep breath walked past all of them, she didn't even notice when Black Whirlwind tried to profess his joy at her being alive. For at that moment her heart was dieing. She walked to the cliff edge and looked out over the mountains, sensing that Sun Li and his army were not far.

"What did I miss?" A familiar voice said from the group behind her. But she wouldn't believe it; it had to be a trick of the mind.

"Jen Zi?" The voice said, it sounded much closer now. It must be his ghost come back to taunt her fool heart for falling in love with him. For a warrior did not fall in love, they fought for their cause and that was it. That was all he had done, he had even said himself that even though she was beautiful he would never make any advances towards her. She was too strange.

She jumped when she felt a set of large hands settle on her shoulders, they felt so real. Maybe, just maybe he had not died or abandoned them.

"Jen Zi, please look at me." She wasn't sure if she should but she turned and looked up into the dark brown eyes of the man she had fallen in love with.

"Sky…" Was all she could make her frozen vocal chords say, her smoky grey eyes pleading with his.

His mouth turned up into that infamous smirking smile of his before he lowered his head and took her lips with his. He couldn't believe she was alive, he had thought he would never be able to revive his cold heart again after he watched Sun Li take her down. He would have fought Sun Li to the death if the Princess hadn't had Black Whirlwind drag him away. He wasn't even able to take her body with him, for Sun Li had destroyed it burning it with him dark magic until nothing was left.

Now he relished in the fact that she was alive, let her know that with the passion of his kiss. He allowed his tongue to caress her lips until she let him enter her mouth and explore all of her. When the kiss ended due to their need for air he pulled away and looked into her eyes. He reached up and wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks.

"I'll never leave you again." He said in a soft voice before he picked her up and carried her down to her tent. "You need to get some rest for tomorrow's battle, let us handle the preparations." He said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Usually she would argue but she was exhausted, she went into her small tent without a further word. Sky followed and made sure she settled down, he even tucked her in like he used to for his daughter. He leaned down and gently brushed his lip across hers.

"I love you, Jen Zi and I always will." With that he left her tent, going to help the others prepare for the battle they would have to face on the morrow.

"I love you too, my beautiful Sky." She whispered before she fell into a deep sleep. She was afraid that she would be plagued with nightmares like she always was before when she had started out on her journey. But an old friend kept watch over her, making sure her dreams stayed peaceful. Zu had fought her nightmares in life, holding her while she struggled in her sleep. He now watched over her in death, chasing away any demons or wayward spirits who tried to disturb her.

Later that night he relinquished his post to someone of the living. Sky came into her tent and stripped off his clothes before he crawled under the covers with her, holding her tightly against him all through the night. At some point during the night she awoke from one of her many nightmares frantic. Sky jerked away also, grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her to him. Whispering in her ear that she was okay, nothing was going to hurt her. Finally she calmed and relaxed against him, snuggling into his warm body.

Sky tried to ignore his desire at seeing her naked, since the covers had fallen away. She must have taken off her clothes after he left, wanting to be more comfortable. He felt her breasts press against his chest, making ache. A groan escaped his lips as he fought for control of his body and emotions.

"Sky?" He heard her say in that soft seductive voice of hers. "Will you make love to me? If I die tomorrow I want to know I loved you completely." She stared up at him with those grey eyes, and it was his undoing.

He loved her that night as if they would both die on the morrow, for he knew they might. He made her call out his name several times, and as he reached his release he called out her name like a prayer to the heavens that they live to see beyond tomorrow. So that he could spend the rest of his life with this woman, he knew he had found his second chance at love and life in her.


End file.
